Seriously Weird!

That is the only way I can describe today, although it was very enjoyable in its own way. We sat outside for dinner last night and it was still really warm when we went to bed - so much so that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep. However it got really cold overnight and when we set off this morning my fingers were numb with cold before we had gone a couple of miles. We dropped down into the valley from where we were staying and headed down into mist and low visibility. The sun was out and soon burnt off the mist, but it was a while before we had warmed up enough to shed our jackets.

At around 8.30am we rode through the first (small) town of the day and it felt a bit spooky to say the least - even the boulangerie was shut, all the houses were shuttered and no living creature, human or otherwise was seen. We had already ridden 10 miles on he equivalent of a 'B' road without seeing a single vehicle. We did rather wonder if there had been. Sudden outbreak of bubonic plague and we had missed the news. We rode on and the absence of visible life forms continued until we got nearer to a major town where we saw the odd vehicle but nobody on the streets a d everything shut.  However it was only when we saw that Monsieur Bricolage was shut (B&Q equivalent) that we realised it must be a public holiday that we were not aware of. The upside was that the roads were deserted, the downside was we couldn't get food or drink and nobody available to help when we got lost.

We eventually stopped in Mael Carhaix for a break and found a shop pretending to be closed, but we detected signs of movement inside we forced entry and got a drink.  As a point of interest, if anyone is planning a life of crime I recommend this area in the summer - the Gendarmerie closes for the months of July and August!  Not a great time to have your house burgled - ring the police and get a message saying they'll be round in 2 months.....

We found another great Gendarmerie, set in the most beautiful flower filled gardens I have ever seen - open Monday and Saturday 9.00am - 12.00pm and Wednesday 14.00 - 18.00. I assume they spend the rest of their time gardening. Lunch stop at an old Cistercian abbey, where there were hundreds of people - perhaps explaining all the empty villages! We completed our 60 miles for the day in Pontivy and arrived at the hotel at 4.00pm only to find a notice saying that reception would open at 6.00pm.  We rode on into town to find absolutely everything closed except one small shop and a rather seedy bar. There were dozens of shops, eating places and supermarkets but not one was open and groups of bemused tourists were wandering aimlessly around wondering what was going on.  I had to log on to find out - apparently 15 th August is the holiday celebrating the ascension of Mary to heaven. 

We are finally in the hotel and showered, but as they don't do food we are now heading out to forage, and probably to spend the evening at the seedy bar!  Will report tomorrow on road arrow mishaps and the lack of fat and sugar hits......Pictures include route finding (or crime planning) in Mael Carhaix, the flower filled Gendarmerie and the abbey. Note how worried the Mechanic looks!!